THAMES COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4736, 11 August 1924, Page 2

THAMES COUNTY.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. 4 The monthly meeting of the Thames County Council was held at Thames on Thursday last, there being present: Crs. Il Lowe (chairman), R. Cox, G. H. A.’Cribb, H. Cory-Wright, F. J. McMahon, W. Brunton, and A. Alley. The county clerk, Mr H. T. G. McElroy. was also in present. FLOOD DAMAGE. The Department of Internal Affairs wrote stating that it was not permissible to grant authority to borrow an unascertained amount to cover flood damage, but an application to borrow such sums as had been expended or would actually be required would be considered. SANITARY INSPECTOR. The Medical Officer of Health wrote asking that Mr B. A. Franklin be formally appointed sanitary inspector if not already done. —Agreed to. MENACE TO POWER WIRES. The manager of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board wrote drawing attention to the fact that a drain had been cut within one foot of the 11,000volt transmission line poles on the new road from Parawai to Thames. The letter stated that the stability of the poles was seriously menaced, and the bpard proposed to have the. poles made safe and charge the cost to the county. BITUMEN ROADING. The No. 2 District Highways Council wrote inquiring if the council pro■posed to have any roads laid down with bitumen hot-mix pavement, as it was proposed to purchase suitable plant if sufficient work to warrant the expenditure wag in sight. The estimated cost of 3in bitumen hot-mix pavement, 18ft wide, including only a merited proportion of foundation, was £4OOO a mile, as against, say, an estimated cost of £250(7 a mile for the same width of road surface laid down with oitumen penetration method. ■ The chairman said that in his opinion the hot-mix method was too expensive for the county. The council was committed to the jenetration method. PROPOSED DRAIN AT WHAREPOA. O. J. Cryer, Wharepoa, wrote stating that an offer of 17s 6d a chain had been ree'eived to dig a drain 3ft wide and 2ft 6in deep for about 14 chains along’'the western side of Creamery Road from Townsend's Road. The engineer wae instructed to call tenders for the work. PURIRI WHARF ROAD. G. Cribb, Puriri, wrote drawing attention to the state of Wharf Road, Puriri which had been damaged by the floods.—Referred to the finance committee. CREAM STANDS. The N.Z. Co-op. Dairy Co. wrote applying for permission to erect cream stands along the Thames Paeroa road in the vicinity of Wharepoa Road corner, Puriri, Judd’s Corner, and Hikutaia. The company had decided t" put a cartage service along this road for conveying cream direct to the Paeroa factory instead of sending it by rail, with a view io increasing the quality of the cream.—Granted, subject to the engineer’s approval. GOLD DUTY. The Ohinemuri County Council wrote asking for the views of the council on the desirability of taking steps to get legislation passed abolishing the gold duty in the North Island and making all mining properties rateable, such as was in force in the South island. The chairman thought that to rate a mine on which only prospecting work was being done would probably cause undue handicap and would tend to restrict prospecting. Mining ventures should be encouraged as much as possible. He was in favour of rating mines if they were prosperous, but was sure that mines would not be taken up if it was known that a rate would be demanded. From a county council viewpoint the rate would be preferable to the gold revenue. It was decided to refer the matter to the finance committee. WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. The Auckland’ Provincial Employers’ Association forwarded particulars of a Bill to amend the Workers’ Compensation Act for the council’s perusal. It was urged that as the effect of the amendnmet would be to increase the cost of workers’ accident insurance by from 130 to* 150’ per cent., it behoved every employers’ organisation and employer in the Dorn inim- to exert the strongest possible effort to influence Parliamentary botes against the measure. Cr. Cribb said that apparently the amendment was very far-reaching. The increase in the cost of insurance to employers was such that they could not stand it without passing it on. Thus the worker would have to pay. Cr. Brunton said he would not like to see the amendments passed by Parliament. The communication was received. KOPU FERRY. The agreement between the county council and Robert P. Gibbons, Ltd., of Koy u, with reference to the leasing of the Kopu .Orongo ferry for a term of three months from July 20, 1824, for the sum of £l2 10s under certain conditions was confirmed by the council and ordered to be signed and sealed. r THE COAST ROAD. A largely-signed petition from pro-perty-owners and ratepayers at Puru was rt ceived in which it was requested that the council take steps to construct protective works on Puru Creek above the main road to prevent the creek from changing it course, and also to construct a culvert on the main road and .to raise the level of the toad, thus avoiding the present danger to or destruction of the property of the petitioners by flooding. As and inducement the petitioners were prepared to contribute £39. It was decided that the area be inspected and a report obtained. ' KAUAERANGA BRIDGE. The Minister for Public Works forwarded through Mr T. W. Rhodes, M,P„ a letter in regard to the Gov-

eminent subsidy on the work of the Kauaeranga bridge approaches. The original estimate of the Thanfas borough engineer was £5973, but later investigations revealed that the cost would be in the vicinity of £7IBO. The Government had agreed to grant £1 for £1 on the bridge construction and £1 fo ■ £2 on the cost of the approaches, and this agreement covered the increased cost. Authority to expend £9OB (£1 for £2) and £1485 (£1 for £2) wac therefore being issued to the Thames County and the Thames Borough respectively. Au’hority for the above grants was forw> * ded by the Public Works Department. The resident Public Works engineer, Paeroa. wrote on the same subject, stating that the total expenditure up to tlic middle of July was £5586 9s 8d; The council had paid on a a £ for F basis £2395, whereas contributions to the extent of £2793 would be necessary to make the council s and the department’s shares equal. The council was therefore asked to pay at least £SOO to keep the authority in funds. T.te chairman said that the Public Works Department owed the council comsiGi rably more than £SOO. He had therefore instructed the clerk to write to that effect. Hi action was approved. THE DIRECT ROAD. A deputation of seven business men of Thames waited upon the council in connection with the new road. Mr Hetherington, the spokesman, said that the break in the communication had'had a very serious effect on the business of the town, and it was the unanimous wish that the communicatoin be re-established ae early as possible. It had been stated that ihe new road would be opened in six weeks, but now, after twice that period had passed, there was as little connection, as when the bridge gav*e way. Cr. Cory-Wright pointed out that the engineer had said the road would be in a fit state to carry light traffic in six weeks. The deputation and the pfople of Thames were evidently of. the impressiop that the engineer had stated that the road would be completed in six weeks. • The chairman said that he had been mislec by the engineer and had, therefore, given an undertaking on behalf of the council which it had not been able to carry out. However, the council was taking steps to secure a passable road being opened as early as possible. He thanked the deputation f.or the maner in which the matter had been brought up, and promised that every effort would be made. At a later stage the question of maintenance of the road was brought up. The engineer said that a contractor had offered, to spread metal for maintenance where required at 6s a yard. He considered the price very satisfactory, and had agreed to let the contractor go ahead. However, some councillor, had told the contractor that the engineer had then no authority, so that his instructions were not to be carried out. • Th< chairman saicl that the road formation contractor had interviewed him and stated that if the other man < ame on to the road he would object. It was for the council to decide whether the road forming contract should be terminated and a new one entered upon. In reply to Cr. Cox the engineer said that the quantity of filling was up to specifications. At present It was higher than the completed road, hut had not yet consolidated. He was of the opinion that the contract should 1 e held over until the summer months and ir. the meantime the road should be gravelled with 1500 yards of gravel ih the price offered by the contractor Who desired to do the maintenance. In regard to the maintenance work already done, he was of the opinion that the other contractor should pay for it. The council had not sanctioned any maintenance contract. He had r.ot let a contract for the supply of maintenance metal, but had given instructions for the road to be patched on that part that had been com •• pleted and the county had taken over. The man had gone on and the formation contractor had agreed to take the metal and pay for it. Members urged that every effort should be made to expedite the work so that the road would be passable. Cr. Cox advocated gravelling to the depth of six or nine inches for the whole length. \ The chairman supported this, and suggested employing every man and every’ source of supply, including the present contractor. Cr. Cox moved that the engineer be given instructions to push on the work as quickly as possible, using every means available, the engineer and chairman to be given power to act as they thought fit. Seconded by Cr. McMahon and carried. FINANCE AND. WORKS. The following recommendations of the Finance and Works Committee were adopted : That accounts totalling £1636 life 6d on the County Fund account ; £565 5s 6d on the Road Loans account, and £548 2s lid on the Mata-, toki Quarry accojint be passed for payment. That £3OOO of the Matatoki Quarry loan be reinvested for three months;